Sarah Sjöström and Sara Curtis line up for the 50 free prelims on day five of underway at the European Championships in Paris.
Leon Marchand takes to the water for his first individual event in the 200 fly in which the crowd will threaten to raise the roof at the Olympic Aquatic Centre.
World record-holder Adam Ramsay-Peaty locks horns with 100 and 200 winners Nicolo Martinenghi and Filip Nowacki in the 50 breaststroke; Mary-Ambre Moluh and Marrit Steenbergen meet in the 100 back in which the Frenchwoman set a 57.99 European record on the mixed medley relay leadoff; Ellen Walshe and Amalie Smith are reunited in the 200IM after gold and silver in the long medley; there are two sessions of the mixed 4×100 free relay with the men’s 1500 free bringing the session to a close.
Women’s 50 Free
Milou van Wijk – who won 100 free silver behind Dutch teammate Marrit Steenbergen – led the way in 24.13.
Sjöström launched her quest of a hat-trick of dash titles in 24.21 after winning her sixth straight 50 fly crown a year into motherhood following the arrival of son Adrian in August last year.
Curtis posted 24.33 the morning after breaking her 50 back WR with Steenbergen making it two Dutchwomen in the top four in 24.34. However, the two-per-nation rule made its presence felt with Valerie van Roon – ninth in 24.73 – and Tessa Giele – 11th in 24.85 – eliminated.
Men’s 50 Breaststroke
There was a jarring shock as Adam Ramsay-Peaty failed to make it through the prelims.
The Briton – who won four straight one-length titles starting at Berlin 2014 – trailed in 20th in 27.34, after a poor start left him with far too much ground to make up.
Ramsay-Peaty was at a loss to explain what had happened, describing himself as confused.
Italian duo Simone Cerasuolo and Nicolo Martinenghi filled the top two slots in 26.20 and 26.65.
